Parents are responsible for raising their children in ways that they want them to become when they grow up. As parents, you need to give all the encouragement and motivation that your child requires when they start to develop certain attitudes, personalities, hobbies, or even their develop intellect.
There are different types of intelligence that vary depending on the angle you look from-- psychology, science-- and one of these types of intelligence that you should help your child develop is emotional intelligence.
To start off, let us understand first what emotional intelligence is and how it benefits everyone.
What is Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional intelligence is defined as a person's ability to understand, use, express, and manage their feelings in the most positive and sensitive way and still respect what others might feel. It is also one's ability to show off their emotions, regardless if they are negative or positive, in a more manageable way to relieve stress, overcome challenges, empathize with other people's feelings, communicate effectively, and reduce conflict. Emotional intelligence is a set of skills that one should develop or start learning at a young age.
How is Emotional Intelligence Beneficial?
A lot of studies would show that emotional intelligence has a huge impact on a person's life. It comes with lots of benefits as well. If a child starts developing emotional intelligence at a young age, the benefits will stay with them for their entire life. To know more about these benefits, here are a few:
EQ improves mental health. It has already been proven that the higher levels of emotional intelligence a person has will translate to a reduced risk of depression and other mental illnesses.
EQ improves relationships. It is important for children to develop emotional intelligence as young as possible as they will then know the importance of relationships and how to value them. Children will know how to manage conflict and develop deeper feelings towards everyone in their life. When they become adults, their emotional intelligence will be higher and will most likely establish better relationships in both their personal and professional lives.
EQ in children can contribute to their success when they grow up. When a child already has developed social and emotional skills, they are most likely to be successful when they become adults. Studies even show that children that are already cooperative and have the ability to share their thoughts, emotions, and feelings at age 5 are most likely people who get to finish college and have a full-time job by the age of 25.
How to Raise an Emotionally Intelligent Child
Raising your kids can be tough and it's not easy, but if you know how to manage your parenting ways in the most responsible and sensitive way possible, it will be easier. Help your kids learn to develop their emotional intelligence through these ways.
Always show empathy. If your child is feeling upset, always be there for them and ask them what's wrong. It is important to listen to what your child has to say about how they feel about certain situations and help them to understand how certain things go. Validate their feelings and always consider how they feel and express empathy.
Teach them how to properly express their feelings. Teach your children how to express their emotions and feelings in the most appropriate way as to avoid hurting others. Model these skills yourself and set a good example for them.
Label their emotions. Teach your kids the types of emotions that they are feeling when they are going through them. Ask them how they feel about a certain situation and teach them what kind of emotion it is that they are feeling. Help them understand these emotions and be there for them every step of the way.
Develop problem-solving skills and coping mechanisms. Emotional intelligence is also about how to solve problems. Children need to be taught how to deal with their problems and fix it themselves. Of course, you as a parent should be there for them to guide them, but make them manage their own decision. Teach your child how to cope with their emotions as well and help them learn how to deal with emotions in a healthy way. Remaining calm is one coping mechanism you can instill to your child.
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